1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to a water heater, more particularly to a water heater that efficiently conducts heat from a heat-generating source to water channeled therethrough.
2. Description of the Related Art
A conventional water heater is used to heat water in a water tank using a gas burner or an electric heating element. As heat transfer in the conventional water heater takes place mainly at the bottom portion of the water tank that is in direct contact with the gas burner or heating element, it takes a relatively long time to heat the water in the water tank, which means large consumption of heat energy. This is not economically desirable in view of the trend toward energy conservation.
Therefore, the main object of the present invention is to provide a water heater that has a high heat-conducting efficiency to reduce energy consumption.
According to one aspect of the invention, a water heater comprises:
a heat-conducting assembly including:
an outer casing including a bottom wall that is formed with a bottom hole and that has an outer periphery and an inner periphery confining the bottom hole, a hollow flue tube that extends vertically from the inner periphery, and an outer surrounding wall that extends uprightly from the outer periphery and that cooperates with the flue tube to confine a receiving space with a top opening, and
a heat-conducting unit mounted inside the receiving space of the outer casing so as to configure the receiving space with isolated first and second chambers, the first chamber being filled with a thermal superconductor material, the second chamber being adapted for holding water therein, the heat-conducting unit including a plurality of interconnected upright tubular members that cooperate with the outer casing to confine the first chamber therein, the second chamber being disposed externally of the tubular members, each of the tubular members having a closed upper end; and
a heat-generating source mounted below the heat-conducting assembly for heating the water inside the second chamber.
According to another aspect of the invention, a device for heating water includes:
an outer casing including a bottom wall having an outer periphery, and an outer surrounding wall that extends uprightly from the outer periphery and that cooperates with the bottom wall to confine a receiving space with a top opening, and
a heat-conducting unit mounted inside the receiving space of the outer casing so as to configure the receiving space with isolated first and second chambers, the first chamber being filled with a thermal superconductor material, the second chamber being adapted for holding water therein, the heat-conducting unit including a plurality of interconnected upright tubular members that cooperate with the outer casing to confine the first chamber therein, the second chamber being disposed externally of the tubular members, each of the tubular members having a closed upper end.